Krill Antarctique - Poissons & Crustacés - Terra Antarctica (2024)

FAQs

Why is krill considered to be a very important species in Antarctica? ›

Krill play an important role in the Southern Ocean's biological cycling of nutrients. For example, after feeding on algae that has absorbed atmospheric carbon dioxide at the sea surface, krill migrate in swarms to deep water and then excrete their waste, transferring large amounts of that carbon to the ocean depths.

Krill are also a target for industrial fishing vessels. (Yes, humans eat krill, too, as do our pets.) This fishing puts a lot of other species at risk. “Most of the fishing happens in these really small nearshore areas where predators like penguins, whales, seals, and other animals feed,” says Bransome.

There are 5 species of krill found in Antarctic waters. The most dominant of these species is Antarctic krill, Euphausia superba. Antarctic krill is one of the most abundant and successful animal species on the planet.

Some populations of Antarctic krill are shifting south, closer to Antarctica, as ocean warming and sea-ice changes alter their habitat.

How does this affect humans? Ecosystems are not isolated. If krill disappear and the Southern Ocean ecosystem collapses, it will have far reaching effects for the rest of the planet, including us. Krill reduce available CO2, so if they disappear, climate change will only accelerate.

Antarctic krill provide a vital food source for whales, seals, ice fish, and penguins. These animals depend on eating large quantities of krill for survival in the harsh climate. For their own meals, Antarctic krill eat small plants like phytoplankton, as well as algae under the surface of sea ice.

Steve Nicol, a krill expert at the Australian Antarctic Division, emphasised to me that krill are intelligent.

Krill is a rich source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids which are under development in the early 21st century as human food, dietary supplements as oil capsules, livestock food, and pet food. Krill tastes salty with a somewhat stronger fish flavor than shrimp.

However, not eating them is understandable, too—krill are quite salty, and each crustacean's hard exoskeleton must be removed before being eaten because it contains contains fluorine, which is toxic in high enough concentrations.

They have been known to give birth several times during the spawning season (January to March). Females spawn their eggs near the surface, which subsequently sink in the ocean over a 10-day period before hatching. Krill can live a maximum of about 10 years if they can avoid being someone's meal.

What are people born in Antarctica called? ›

Answer and Explanation: There are no humans native to Antarctica, and so there is no name for a population originating there.

Blue whales and other large whales, leopard seals and other seals, several species of penguins, albatrosses and other seabirds, several fish species, and squids and other invertebrates all eat huge numbers of Antarctic krill. Without this species, Southern Ocean food webs would completely collapse.

1. Leopard Seal. Going off statistics and reputation, the leopard seal is probably the most notorious Antarctic predator, though even this pugnacious pinniped only rarely behaves aggressively toward people.

As a keystone species, Antarctic krill provide the basis of the diet for most marine mammals and seabirds and play a critical role in drawing down and storing vast quantities of carbon in the Southern Ocean.

Krill are small shrimp-like crustaceans, with an average size of about 3.5cm in length – about the size of an ordinary paperclip – although they can reach lengths of double that size up to 6cm.

Antarctic krill are very important animals. They are well-known as the food of ocean giants such as blue whales, but they also feed many other animals and help to slow climate change by keeping millions of tons of carbon out of the air.

Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba, hereafter referred as krill) is a key dietary item for vertebrate predators, such as whales, seals, seabirds, and fish, as well as for invertebrates¹. At between 300 and 500 million tonnes² its biomass is the largest of any multicellular wild animal species on the planet³.

Animals. Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) are a keystone species, forming an important part of the Antarctic food web. At least 235 marine species are found in both Antarctica and the Arctic, ranging in size from whales and birds to small marine snails, sea cucumbers, and mud-dwelling worms.

Its size is tiny, but its significance is colossal. Krill – a shrimp-like crustacean – forms the basis of the marine food web for whales, seabirds, fish, squid, seals, and sharks throughout the world's oceans.